“Nozarashi” from Japanese literally translates to “Weather Worn” or “Exposed in the Field”. It represents something left forgotten to weather the elements. More artistically, “Nozarashi” means “I will go (and do my duty), even if I may expose my bones.” In my case, it represents the soldiers lost in wars long forgotten, especially that of my brothers-in-arms who I will never see again.

How long have you been racing?Been a “touge driver” (mountain pass racer or driver) for several years, having first started with a brand new, special ordered 2004 Ford Mustang Mach 1. As years would go on, I would find a passion and love for smaller, lighter Japanese cars, and a true passion for the Toyota ZN6. 2018 is my rookie season driving time attack on the track, after spending two years preparing the car.

How did you first become interested in racing cars?When I was in Infantry School for the U.S. Army, I served with a young man, Private Michael J. Deutsch, who had a true passion for Japanese cars. He drove a turbocharged Nissan Z32 300ZX that he would always tell me about.

Through his passion, I found my own. When we graduated, we promised each other we would meet up so he could take me for a drive. Regrettably, 6 months after graduation, his mechanized infantry unit came across an anti-tank mine, killing everyone inside. I vowed I would live for both of us, and built the Nozarashi 86, a 2013 Toyota ZN6 (Scion FR-S), in his memory, and to push through my own military service-connected disabilities.

Have you tinkered or rebuilt any of your cars?While I got to play with my 2004 Ford Mustang Mach 1 a bit, it was not until the ZN6 that I would truly get to delve into the mechanics of cars I’ve since had my hands on and worked on every upgrade and every piece of maintenance in the car, and have studied religiously to learn all I can about track car setups, maintenance, tuning and upgrades.

What (or who) do you feel was instrumental to getting you where you are?One of the amazing things about cars is they’re vessels to bring people together. I have had some unique and special friends who helped me work on this car when I was unable to, and numerous companies like ENEOS assist me. Whether they be partners, sponsors or supporters, it has taken a true enthusiast community to make this car what it is today. I will never take this for granted.

What sets you apart from others?While this car is special to me personally due to it being a military tribute build, what sets it apart technically is building the most powerful naturally-aspirated (NA) ZN6 in the world. This has been accomplished using unique 4-2-1 long-tube headers, and the upcoming 2.1L fully-built, high compression stroker motor. We are keen to taking NA as far as we can using the original 4U-GSE motor to honor the legacy of the AE86 of years past, such as the Keiichi Tsuchiya-san’s Super Mame, or the N2 racers of old.

On Using ENEOS:

When did you start using ENEOS products?When I heard about the new ENEOS RACING STREET & RACING PRO products in the spring of 2018, and learned just how superior they were to anything else on the market, I knew I had to be among the first to have it in my high revving, high-compression motor.

What specifically have you noticed about using ENEOS products?Compared to the competition, I’ve found greater stability in using the ENEOS RACING Series lines of motor oils: the oil comes to normal operating temperature faster, but maintains that temperature more consistently across various uses whether that be on the street in traffic, or driving hard on the track.

I’ve also noticed temperatures are several degrees lower when under full load, and the motor running smoother. Due to the high revving nature of the 4U-GSE, this is extremely important in use.

Final thoughts about this project?One of the more memorable moments of this build has been the opportunity to share it with those who have inspired me. Magnus Walker, and his passion to the Porsche 911, has been truly inspirational, and it’s been a pleasure to give him the opportunity to drive this car as it has developed.